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.env · workflow

.env.example Generator

Turn any .env file into a safe .env.example template. Strips values while keeping keys and comments intact.

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DATABASE_URL=
NODE_ENV=development
PORT=3000
JWT_SECRET=
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=

What it does

  • ▸Strips all values, keeps keys and comments
  • ▸Optional: preserve default values for non-secrets
  • ▸Sort or group keys
  • ▸Produces a safe .env.example ready to commit
  • ▸Client-side only

Privacy

Runs 100% in your browser. Your .env never touches our servers.

client-side only

Usage examples

Case 1 · Full strip
DATABASE_URL=postgres://user:pass@host/db
JWT_SECRET=super-secret-xyz
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=sk_test_xxx
DATABASE_URL=
JWT_SECRET=
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=
Case 2 · Keep non-secret defaults
NODE_ENV=development
PORT=3000
JWT_SECRET=super-secret-xyz
NODE_ENV=development
PORT=3000
JWT_SECRET=
Case 3 · Preserve comments
# App config
NODE_ENV=development

# Auth
JWT_SECRET=xyz
# App config
NODE_ENV=development

# Auth
JWT_SECRET=

When to use this tool

  • →Repo never had a .env.example — generate one from your live .env
  • →Onboarding — commit the example so new hires know what to fill in
  • →After adding a new env var, regenerate the example to keep it in sync
  • →Audit — see your .env structure at a glance without values

Common mistakes

  • ⚠Forgetting to actually commit the .env.example after generating
  • ⚠Leaving one key's real value in by accident — always diff before committing
  • ⚠Stripping values that should be committed (NODE_ENV=development is a sensible default)
  • ⚠Using it as a replacement for a secrets manager — .env.example only documents structure

.env.example Generator

A .env.example file ships the structure of your env without exposing secrets. Paste your live .env and this tool produces a committable example file — values stripped, keys and comments preserved.

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ENV Leak Checker
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Learn more

guide · 8 min
10 .env best practices every team should follow
Battle-tested rules for .env files: what to commit, what to rotate, how to structure secrets across dev, staging, and production, and the common mistakes that cause outages.
guide · 5 min
How to hide .env from git (and recover if you already committed it)
Step-by-step: keep .env out of git from day one, and what to do when a secret leaks into your commit history. Includes rotation checklist.
coming soon

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